Euonymus plant named ‘Waldbolwi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Euonymus  plant named ‘Waldbolwi’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely basally branching growth habit; distinct yellow-colored stems and leaves; and stems and leaves resist sunburning.

Botanical designation: Euonymus fortunei.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Waldbolwi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Euonymus plant, botanically known as Euonymus fortunei, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Waldbolwi’.

The new Euonymus is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Euonymus fortunei cultivar Emerald 'n Gold, not patented. The new Euonymus was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Henstedt-Ulzburg, Germany in April, 2000. The new Euonymus was selected on the basis of its unique leaf coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings since May, 2000 in Henstedt-Ulzburg, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Euonymus are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Waldbolwi have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Waldbolwi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Waldbolwi’ as a new and distinct Euonymus cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely basally branching growth habit.     -   3. Distinct yellow-colored stems and leaves.     -   4. Stems and leaves resist sunburning.

Plants of the new Euonymus are most similar to plants of the parent, the cultivar Emerald 'n Gold. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Putten, The Netherlands, plants of the new Euonymus differed from plants of the cultivar Emerald 'n Gold in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euonymus and the cultivar Emerald 'n Gold         differed in stem coloration as plants of the cultivar Emerald 'n         Gold have green-colored stems.     -   2. Plants of the new Euonymus and the cultivar Emerald 'n Gold         differed in leaf coloration as plants of the cultivar Emerald 'n         Gold have green and yellow variegated leaves.

Plants of the new Euonymus can be compared to plants of the Euonymus cultivars Emerald Gaitey, not patented; Coloratus, not patented; and Interbolwi, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,424. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Putten, The Netherlands, plants of the new Euonymus differed from plants of the cultivars Emerald Gaitey, Coloratus and Interbolwi in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euonymus and the cultivars Emerald Gaitey,         Coloratus and Interbolwi differed in stem coloration as plants         of the cultivars Emerald Gaitey, Coloratus and Interbolwi have         green-colored stems.     -   2. Plants of the new Euonymus and the cultivars Emerald Gaitey,         Coloratus and Interbolwi differed in leaf coloration as plants         of the cultivars Emerald Gaitey, Coloratus and Interbolwi have         green and yellow variegated leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Euonymus. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Waldbolwi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants shown in the aforementioned photograph and used in the following description were grown in containers under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions in a glass-covered greenhouse in Putten, The Netherlands. Plants in the photograph and those used for the description were about 1.5 years old when the photograph and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 0° C. to 38° C. and night temperatures ranged from 0° C. to 18° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euonymus fortunei cultivar Waldbolwi. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Euonymus     fortunei cultivar Emerald 'n Gold, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate rooting, summer.—About 25 days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate rooting, winter.—About 40 days at 12° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             months at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             months at 14° C.         -   Root description.—Moderately thick; creamy white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial. Compact and upright plant             habit. Freely basal branching habit; about two to three             lateral branch per basal branch; dense and bushy plant             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 17 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Internode length: About 1.2 to 2.2 cm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 151D overlain with             8C; towards the base, 138A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 1.8 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Crenate. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 151B; venation,             145D. Developing foliage, lower surface: 145C; venation,             145C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 13B to 13C;             venation, 10D. Fall color of the foliage: close to 53A.             Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 11B; venation, 11B.             Petiole length: About 2 mm. Petiole diameter: About 1 mm.             Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces: 10D. -   Flower description: Flower development on plants of the new Euonymus     has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Euonymus have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Euonymus. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Euonymus have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about −15° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Euonymus plant named ‘Waldbolwi’, as illustrated and described. 